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Sonoco Products Company’s (SON - Free Report) fourth-quarter 2019 adjusted earnings declined 10.7% year on year to 75 cents per share. The reported figure came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The year-over-year drop in earnings resulted from lower effective tax rate and hurricane-related business interruption insurance proceeds last quarter. Further, gains from productivity improvements and acquisitions were offset by lower volume/mix, negative price/cost relationship and unfavorable foreign-currency translation impact.
On a reported basis, including one-time items, earnings per share came in at 44 cents compared with the year-ago quarter’s 77 cents.
Sonoco’s net sales came in at $1.31 billion, marginally down from the prior-year quarter’s $1.36 billion. The sales figure also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.33 billion. The top-line figure declined year-over-year due to softer volumes across all segments, along with lower selling prices in the Paper and Industrial Converted Products segment, foreign-currency translation impact. These negatives were partly offset by higher sales from the Corenso acquisition.
Cost of sales came in at $1.06 billion compared with the $1.10 billion recorded in the year-earlier quarter. Gross profit during the fourth quarter totaled $246.8 million, down from the year-ago quarter’s $254.3 million. Gross margin came in at 18.8% compared with the 18.7% reported in the year-earlier period.
Selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $135.8 million, down 8.7% year over year. This decline primarily resulted from lower acquisition-related costs in 2019 as well as the company’s prudent cost-control measures. Adjusted operating income edged down 1.9% year over year to $114 million during the October-December period. Operating margin came in at 8.7% compared with the 8.5% recorded in the year-ago quarter.
Sonoco Products Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
The Consumer Packaging segment reported net sales of $559.6 million, down 2.5% from $573.9 million recorded in the prior-year quarter. Operating profit climbed to $46.6 million from the $43.7 million witnessed in the comparable period last year.
Net sales in the Paper and Industrial Converted Products segment came in at $491.5 million, indicating a 4% decline, year over year, on lower selling prices primarily in global paperboard, corrugating and recycling operations, lower volume/mix, and negative foreign-currency translation impact. These positives were partially offset by the Corenso acquisition.
Operating profit totaled $50 million compared with the $56 million recorded in the year-ago period.
The Display and Packaging segment’s net sales slipped 3.2% year over year to $136.7 million. The segment reported an operating profit of $6.5 million compared with the $8.4 million reported in the year-earlier quarter.
The Protective Solution segment’s net sales came in at $121 million, down 5.5% year over year on lower volume and mix. Operating profit of the segment jumped 37.5% year over year to $11 million.
Sonoco reported cash and cash equivalents of $145.2 million at the end of the fourth quarter compared with $120.3 million at the end of 2018. The company recorded cash flow from operating activities of around $426 million in 2019 compared with the prior year’s $590 million. As the end of 2019, the company’s total debt-to-capital ratio was 48.1% compared with the 43.9% reported at the end of 2018.
Sonoco reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.53 in 2019, up 4.7% from the prior year’s $3.37. Earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.54. On a reported basis, including one-time items, earnings per share came in at $2.88 compared with $3.10 recorded in 2018.
Sales came in at $5.37 billion in 2019 compared with the previous year’s $5.39 billion. The top-line figure also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.40 billion.
For 2020, Sonoco expects adjusted earnings per share guidance of $3.60-$3.70 compared with the prior estimate of $3.65-$3.75. Operating cash flow is expected between $625 million and $645 million, and free cash flow is projected at $250-$270 million.
For the ongoing quarter, the company projects adjusted earnings per share of 83-89 cents compared with the year-ago quarter’s 85 cents.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
Sonoco currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Industrial Products sector are Northwest Pipe Company (NWPX - Free Report) , Sharps Compliance Corp (SMED - Free Report) and Graco Inc. (GGG - Free Report) . All of these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Northwest Pipe has an expected earnings growth rate of 19.5% for the current year. The stock has appreciated 49% over the past year.
Sharps Compliance has an estimated earnings growth rate of 767% for the ongoing year. In a year’s time, the company’s shares have gained 36%.
Graco has a projected earnings growth rate of 4.3% for 2020. The company’s shares have rallied 21% over the past year.
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The future is bleak for struggling sports car maker Lotus, according to leaked financial documents
The scale of the problems facing Lotus Cars was laid bare this week, with the latest information showing that its Malaysian owner is facing legal action from a number of suppliers over non-payment of debts - said to total ?23m ($45m) - and has asked Britain's Inland Revenue to delay tax payments.
DRB-Hicom, the owner of the Norfolk sports car maker, was not available for comment, but sources close to the company said many of the outstanding issues - including payments to suppliers - relate to the previous management. They added that in some cases DRB-Hicom is challenging some of the arrangements with suppliers over previous contracts where there are concerns over quality control. But they also repeated that DRB remains committed to the plant at Hethel, its workforce and turning Lotus into a self-reliant and global brand.
A final plan to make Lotus self-sufficient should be ready soon following due diligence work being carried out by consultants Ernst & Young and Rothschild.
However, the enormity of the clean-up operation facing Aslam Farikullah, the new Lotus chief operating officer, is clear. According to internal financial results for August, the company owes suppliers up to ?23m at 90 days overdue, and a further ?7m between 30 and 90 days. Suppliers include ARM, Logica and OCS. One person close to the group said: "One petition has already been lodged with the company, and several others are outstanding. But the danger is that someone may sue for winding-up." Losses, after exceptional items, interest and tax, for the past five months to August are shown to be running at ?23.6m.
The document states: "Cash flow: Critical. Overhead base is massively too high for current business, payroll bill for business is too high. Salaries top-end loaded." It also states that there was "insufficient inflow to meet this month's [September] supplier payments and payroll" and that "NO business decision can sustain its own costs or contribute towards group costs. Revenue = ?45m, overheads = ?35m, Cost of sale = ?33m - Loss = ?23m."
DRB-Hicom, one of Malaysia's biggest industrial companies, acquired Lotus following its takeover this year of Proton, another Malaysia company. But after a financial investigation of Lotus, DRB-Hicom sacked the chief executive, Dany Bahar, in June for alleged gross misconduct. Bahar, and the heads of legal and human resources, are suing DRB for wrongful dismissal and other matters.
DRB brought the British-trained engineer Farikullah to turn Lotus back to health. The Government has been supportive of the new owners with Business Secretary Vince Cable attending the launch of the Lotus shop in Regent Street. Lotus was due to receive a 10m grant.
DRB has claimed that 100m of its money has been invested in Lotus since taking over. However, the situation is made all the more delicate because of the way the previous owners had a back-to-back guarantee with the banks based on its cash. Proton had agreed a ?270m loan with a syndicate of six banks to provide a massive expansion programme. Some ?200m of the loan had been drawn down by the previous management, but a DRB spokesman said the new owners had hoped the rest of the money agreed with Lotus 18 months ago would soon be released.
The syndicate had lent the money to Lotus on the basis of a back-to-back guarantee with Proton, which is said to have cash of $400m (?255m). But now it is this guarantee that is said to be troublesome because it could have a domino effect on DRB's own debts.
Production of new Lotus cars has also been fraught with difficulties. According to the document, current and continued engineering delays to the Exige, its latest model, is now "severely impacting the whole business", while the new Esprit has either been delayed or cancelled.

domain: news


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Atlas Mara launches e-Wallet
Written by Millennium on January 25, 2019
BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes
ATLAS MARA Zambia has launched a mobile money wallet account targeting the low income earners.
The ‘Tenga’ mobile wallet account will be conducted in partnership with Zoona to create a strong base of financial inclusion across Zambia, particularly the low income earners.
The service provides interest rate of up to 12 percent on an annual basis.
The bank’s head of retail and digital banking, Teza Ngulube, explained that a person did not need to have a bank account with Atlas Mara to access the Tenga services.
Mr Ngulube explained that a client was able to access cash from the bank’s Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) even without having a bank account with the institution.
He was speaking yesterday in Lusaka during the official launch of the product.
“This presents an opportunity for every Zambian to create a financial identity at a different level. A person is able to have an interest rate of up to 12 percent when they save in 365 days,” he said.
And bank managing director, James Koni, explained that Tenga provided financial solutions which would make transactions easier for the customer and cut across the entire Atlas Mara footprint in Zambia.
Mr Koni further explained that the bank had designed Tenga because it recognised the financial needs of the people of Zambia, cutting across the mass market.
“The launch of Tenga is an added feature to our core banking products and services as a direct response to our customer’s expectation of accessing complete financial solutions in the most convenient anywhere, anytime.
“As Atlas Mara we are committed to driving a financial inclusion agenda and Tenga mobile money will enable us service a large segment of our population previously ‘unbanked’ and provide them with an opportunity to formally enter the financial system,” he said.
Mr Koni said the partnership with Zoona which had over 1200 outlets nationwide would drive the Tenga agenda.
He said the bank was aware that Zoona’s mission was to help communities thrive as they offered financial services solutions to communities in Zambia.


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The battle lines are starting to harden around who’ll pay for those lame-looking 3D glasses. I’ve learned that other studios might line up behind Sony’s decision to stop paying the average 50-cents a pair fee beginning in May. Rival studios tell me Fox is on board. “We’re studying our options, but haven’t made any decisions yet,” denied Fox Filmed Entertainment spokesman Chris Petrikin. Remember, Fox was first in line to try to stop paying for glasses back in 2009 when it released Ice Age. But then had to abandon that effort after theaters rebelled. Sony was technically correct today when it said in a statement that “there never has been” a formal agreement stipulating that studios would shoulder the cost of 3D glasses. But it’s easy to understand why exhibitors are stunned by Sony’s stoppage. Because it changes an understanding that’s been in place since 2005 when Disney’s Chicken Little kicked off the 3D movie phenom.
“It is a radical departure from what the practice has been,” National Association of Theater Owners President John Fithian tells me. Now Regal CEO Amy Miles warns that if studios end the practice then it could “result in fewer screens exhibiting 3D films”. That’s bad news for Hollywood, which plans to release 39 films in 3D next year, vs. 36 in 2011. Exhibitors might encourage consumers to bring their own 3D glasses. That may be the future anyway. But BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield says if theaters require payment for 3D specs on top of the typical 3D surcharge ($3.25 to $4 a ticket), then “the U.S. moviegoer will reject this as another way for exhibitors to milk them and further decrease their interest in 3D (and perhaps going to the movies in general)”.


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In lead-up to Thursday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing, “A Pathway to Improving Care for Medicare Patients with Chronic Conditions,” the National Association of Chain Drug Stores submitted comments highlighting pharmacy’s role in helping patients manage their chronic conditions.
Drug Store News on Sunday caught up with Brian McNamara, region head of Europe and the Americas of the recently christened GSK Consumer Healthcare, representing the joint venture between GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis to talk about what a consolidating OTC market means for the industry, and how GSK will be coming to market.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores expresses support of the 21st Century Cures Initiative to accelerate the discovery, development and delivery process of lifesaving new drug treatments for patients.
Surescripts has announced that it is collaborating with PDR, a provider of drug information, prescriber communications, and behavior-based patient and consumer health information, to expand the coverage of the electronic prior authorization solution CompletEPA.
QS/1’s Pharmacy Management Systems have been upgraded to exchange data with CCNC’s PharmaceHome, a software application that conducts medication reconciliation to manage the care of Medicaid recipients in North Carolina
“Our health-and-wellness experts are leading the way for the future of health care in our stores and beyond.”
For any retail pharmacy provider, that would be a bold, perhaps even overly confident, assertion. But coming as it does from Walmart, it’s something that both the U.S. healthcare system and Walmart’s competitors are taking seriously.
Walgreens forever changed its corporate trajectory with the execution of its “step 2” merger and acquisition of Boots Alliance, creating a truly international retail pharmacy operator with the restructured and rebranded Walgreens Boots Alliance.
Is this the year that restrictions on the use of over-the-counter medicines in conjunction with a flexible savings account are lifted? If you consider the value proposition — the $102 billion saved each year by the use of OTC medicines — and that health care is moving toward a more value-based, outcomes-driven system, it would certainly seem so.
Established in 1942, Lewis Drug made its mark as the first self-service drug store in South Dakota. Today, Lewis continues to go strong with an even greater emphasis on improving patient health outcomes.
Picking up almost 600 new stores in 2014, McKesson’s Health Mart is a forward-thinking pharmacy franchisor that focuses on a key component of community pharmacy success — the pharmacist-patient relationship.
The mounting shortage of primary care physicians across the United States and the growing recognition that patients’ health care often is best delivered by a team of professionals working together are fueling a nationwide movement to give more pharmacists provider status.


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During the event, the two ministers informed each other about the COVID-19 situation and prevention and control results in each country. They also hailed the efforts of each other in disease relief as well as effectively in implementing bilateral defense cooperation in 2020. … [Read more...] about Vietnam-India defense cooperation to be promoted
Asean india free trade area preferential tariff certificate of origin
CDCE is the highest level training in the Design and Build training track of EPI - the world’s leading company offering an extensive range of Data Centre infrastructure services. This certification confirms in-depth and comprehensive knowledge of the life cycle of a Data Centre including designing, building, operation, and retirement. … [Read more...] about CMC Telecom achieves premier certification for data centre professional
HCM City (VNA) - The Top Thai Brands 2020 expo opened at the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre in Ho Chi Minh City on September 17. The four-day expo is displaying and selling a range of quality products from Thailand, including food and beverages, household products, textiles and garments, and health and beauty products, among others. Exhibitors are also seeking partners for trade and network expansion. Addressing the opening ceremony, Nguyen Quang Huy, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Agency for Southern Affairs, said Vietnam and Thailand have long established a traditional friendship, particularly in investment and trade. Their bilateral cooperation has grown fruitfully in almost all fields over recent years, he noted, adding that Vietnam considers Thailand a strategic partner in realising its sustainable development goals. The two countries’ investment and trade promotion agencies will continue to bolster programmes facilitating … [Read more...] about Top Thai Brands 2020 underway in HCM City
Covid-19 response and diplomatic influence: The Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index published last month found that Vietnam’s international image was one of the Asia-Pacific’s best improvers this year, with its score on diplomatic influence gaining six percentage points, according to Asia Times Financial. … [Read more...] about How Vietnam weathers global health crisis and rises?
Nguyễn Ngọc Dũng, vice chairman of the Việt Nam E-commerce Association, said it is high time that SMEs realised the advantages of and the urgent need for digital transformation, pointing out that most of them have remained slow in embracing it. … [Read more...] about Logistics SMEs urged to speed up digital transformation to remain competitive


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Toros Look To Rebound on Road
WESLACO - For the first time this season RGV-FC is on a losing streak. The Toros have lost back to back games, but look to bounce back with an upcoming trip to Colorado.
CHANNEL 5'S Ruben Juarez has the story in Edinburg.
Online sales, driven by social media, boost small businesses during pandemic
Mission EDC launches 'Small Business Market Days' to boost local economy
Tamaulipas reactivates COVID-19 checkpoints for Thanksgiving holiday weekend
McAllen Holiday Parade announces celebrity hosts
Donna police officer says he was shot while driving to work


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By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 07, Jul 2022, 17:36 pm IST | UPDATED: 07, Jul 2022, 17:39 pm IST
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Prathamesh Sinha, who appeared on the first season of the popular business realtiy show Shark Tank India and won the hearts of viewers with his charming style and wit. During the interaction with the PM, Sinha demonstrated Annie braille device which was developed by Thinkerbell Labs. Sinha, a visually impaired student, had participated in Shark Tank India for Thinkerbell Labs only. He gave a presentation to the sharks to make them understand how Annie works and how it could be a revolutionary product for visually impaired students like him.
Thinkerbell Labs brought Prathamesh to the event as the brand director of the startup. He was seen demonstrating the device to attendees, which surprisingly included Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Thinkerbell Labs shared a video clip of Prathamesh’s interaction with the PM on social media platform Instagram. In the video, the boy is seen explaining how the product works.
Just like our young star Prathamesh, Annie has equipped many visually impaired children who are brimming with potential,” the company said in its Instagram post.
Today we feel incredibly proud as Thinkerbell Labs’ Brand Ambassador @prathameshsinha__ explains our product Annie to the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Sri. Narendra Modi. @narendramodi,” it added.
Sinha met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event celebrating Digital India week 2022, kicked off on July 4 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The Digital India Week 2022 is celebrating the incorporation of new-age technologies in India’s growth with the theme 'Catalyzing New India's Techade'.
by : Priti Prakash
At the SCO Samarkand summit 2022 when Indian Prime Minister Modi spoke of the importance of dialogue...


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(Bloomberg) -- Meggitt Plc rose after Britain said national security concerns tied to the aerospace supplier’s agreed £6.3 billion ($7.7 billion) sale to US-based Parker-Hannifin Corp. have been allayed.
The stock reached 790.80 pence in early trading Wednesday, the highest since Sept. 7 last year, after the government said late Tuesday that Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is minded to accept legally binding undertakings given by Parker, whose all-cash offer is worth 800 pence a share.
While further representations will be considered before a final decision is made, Parker, a Cleveland-based aerospace and motion-control specialist, said in a statement that it expects to complete the transaction in the third quarter.
Britain ordered a review of the takeover in October after Meggitt shareholders backed it a month earlier. Parker said then it would engage with the UK after promising to keep a majority of the Coventry, England-based company’s board British and to maintain technology and manufacturing in the country.
The Meggitt decision comes after Britain said last week it would accept a £2.57 billion takeover of defense-technology specialist Ultra Electronics Holdings Plc by US private-equity firm Advent International Corp. through its Cobham arm, acquired in 2020.
Meggitt traded 0.6% higher as of 8:28 a.m. in London.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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With $10M funding, VFR.ai plans to disrupt the ad industry with innovative CTV Tech
For decades, television has been one of the most prominent and influential channels for advertisement. But in recent years, most performance-based advertisers avoid TV advertisements in favor of digital media and other quantifiable channels.
The connected TV (CTV) penetration rate in the United States rose to an all-time high in 2022. 87 percent of American households now own at least one internet-connected TV (CTV), further providing new opportunities for performance advertisers to reach their targeted audience.
With CTV ad spend in the U.S. predicted to reach $34.49 by 2025, one highly innovative startup VFR.ai is planning to disrupt the connected TV (CTV) industry with its native advertising technology. The company specializes in developing market-leading tech and casual content solutions, which they believe will revolutionize the CTV landscape in the coming months and years.
After recently coming out of stealth with $10 million in funding, they are perfectly poised to make a major impact in the CTV space, especially given the fact that many of the leading CTV streaming services, such as Netlfix and Disney+, are reportedly about to introduce new subscription plans that will include ads (allowing consumers to view content at a discounted price).
Of course, this will mark a considerable shift in the current business models of these platforms, since they have remained predominantly ad-free for quite some time now.
As such, it’s likely that these streaming services are going to find it a challenge to integrate ads in a way that doesn’t impact the user experience too negatively, which is precisely where VFR.ai comes in.
What VFR.ai brings to the table
Eighty-seven percent of households in the USA have at least one connected TV device, and a whopping 46% of adults watch video content on a connected TV device every single day, according to a study conducted by Leichtman Research Group. These devices include smart TVs, video game consoles, digital media players, and streaming devices.
With such high levels of content consumption, you can see why advertisers are so keen to get involved in the CTV space. However, it’s important for CTV service providers to maintain the integrity of their user experience and not allow advertising to become too intrusive, otherwise, they risk losing customers.
Fortunately, VFR.ai has developed a native advertising solution that is designed to be non-intrusive and even beneficial for viewers. This type of contextual advertising has been found to be far more effective than traditional methods, such as pre-roll or post-roll ads, which can be disruptive and often skipped by viewers, resulting in the lost revue for advertisers.
Eldar Buchris, CEO of VFR, commented, “We believe that the CTV market is poised to become a mainstream advertising medium in the near future, especially with the recent market trends of more and more platforms looking to ad-supported content, and we are excited about what will come next.”
Poised to become a market leader
With the connected TV market growing at an unprecedented rate and advertisers looking for more efficient ways to reach their target audiences, VFR.ai has the potential to become a market leader.
“At VFR, we see the CTV market today as where the mobile market was a few years ago, and we are trying to establish ourselves as the CTV tech market leaders,” said Tal Melenboim, Founder & Chairman at VFR.ai.
By most accounts, it seems as though the CTV space is about to undergo a major transformation, and VFR.ai has done well to position itself right at the forefront of this change.


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Who knew legalizing something that’s supposed to chill you out would be so stressful?
Things could move quickly from here on out.
It could be longer than we think.
Are coffee and cannabis a perfect match?
The feds really don’t want the kiddies to think pot is cool.
We seem to be establishing a suspicious pattern here.
The government announced how much they think Canadians pay for weed, and people think it’s hilarious
Did Canada just low-ball the government on purpose?
Just hear us out.
Not cool, guys.
This does not bode well.


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Terapin Studiosheadquartered in the United States digital content produceracquired The toomicsone of the top 5 webtoon platforms in South Korea, having raised $93 million from Affirma Capital and NPX Private Equity.
According to the announcement, Affirma Capital has invested $38 million in Terapin Studios in a $93 million co-investment with NPX Private Equity, a Korea-based private equity firm.
Toomics offers webtoon series in 10 languages around the world, including Korean, English, French, Spanish, German, and Chinese. Toomics generated over $50 million in revenue and continued to post steady profit in 2021.
Due to the recent rapid expansion of global operations, the revenue contribution from the ex-Korean business has nearly quadrupled over the past 3 years to over 70% in 2021.
Following the acquisition, Toomics is expected to become a central part of the digital content value chain under the Terapin umbrella.
Another key subsidiary of Terapin is Copin Communications Inc. (“Copin”), one of Korea’s largest webtoon production studios which has internalized the development of original intellectual property in the form of web fiction and webtoons.
Based on artificial intelligence technology jointly developed with its subsidiary, Copin has an industry-leading production system characterized by process automation. Copin is on track to be able to create over 100 webtoon series each year with minimal reliance on a few creators.
Through its subsidiaries and investments, Copin also converts original intellectual property into a variety of forms of digital content such as television shows, animations, web dramas and games in order to realize opportunities to source single and multiple use (OSMU).
Copin’s strong production capabilities in the romance and fantasy genres should serve as an effective tool
leverage when expanding globally.
“In the rapidly changing global digital content market, Korean content has received significant attention from consumers around the world. It is not a temporary fad but an age-old trend that reflects the potential Korean content to continuously appeal to global consumers,” said Samuel Hwang, CEO of Terapin Studios.
Terapin Studios is a company that operates globally in the field of games, dramas and animations based on the intellectual property of webtoons, a new type of media in Korea. With its vision to become a global content leader, Terapin Studios plans to take content production to the next generation, creating immersive experiences in the form of games, metaverses and NFTs.
What are your thoughts?


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British car manufacturer Mini has officially unveiled the Mini Vision concept previewing the aesthetics of the next generation Mini Cooper models. This official preview follows umpteen spy shots of the car over the past few months.
The 2014 Cooper now features a revised hexagonal front grille with the fog lamps integrated to it. The conventional headlights have given way for an all-LED module with an encircling ring around it that acts as day time running lamps. The front bumper is also re-chiselled for an aerodynamic guise. The centrally mounted dual exhaust is the first striking feature on the rear of the car, which also flaunts a tailgate mounted spoiler and metallic accent.
The interiors get symmetrical design philosophy reminiscent of all Mini models. The elastic straps replace the conventional door compartments and the new lounge-like seats feature for the first time on the 2014 Cooper. The centre console now gets a futuristic look with the new Driving Experience Control system, a feature that allows the users to adjust the lighting scheme in the cabin.
The Mini Cooper is set to be unveiled globally as part of the 2014 Los Angeles Motor Show. News of a possible Indian launch should follow soon. The brand now has a cult following in India and is considered as a premium luxury hatchback, but BMW will have to take the CKD route if they are looking to increase volumes in the entry-level premium segment that is now dominated by the Mercedes A-Class and B-Class.


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Delivery drones take to the skies, Google home will start your car, and Kenmore gets into the digital assistant game. Continue reading
Tags: Alfie, amazon, drone delivery, Google Home, Google Home starts cars, Hyundai, Kenmore, personal shopper, Sears Posted in In The News | 1 Comment »
Amazon gives a big hint about how their drone fleet would work and Apple profit takes a hit. Continue reading
Tags: amazon, apple, docking stations, drone delivery, drone perch, drones, government information warrants, iphone Posted in In The News | 13 Comments »
See the latest news on Amazon’s announced drone delivery service and what obstacles it needs to overcome. Continue reading
Tags: amazon, drone delivery, prime air Posted in In The News | 3 Comments »
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The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it has agreed to settle its complaint against Barr Laboratories, whose agreement with Warner Chilcott, the Commission alleges, unlawfully delayed entry of Barr’s generic version of Warner Chilcott’s Ovcon birth control pill into the market.
As a result of the settlement, Barr must refrain from entering into anticompetitive supply agreements with branded companies similar to Barr’s agreement with Warner Chilcott regarding Ovcon, refrain from entering other agreements with branded manufacturers that unreasonably restrain competition, and notify the Commission of a broader group of agreements with branded companies that have the potential to harm competition. The terms of the proposed settlement will expire in 10 years.
Entry of the final order against Barr brings to an end the FTC’s prosecution against Warner Chilcott and Barr for conspiring to keep a generic version of Ovcon off the market. According to the FTC’s complaint filed in November 2005, Warner Chilcott paid Barr $20 million in return for Barr’s agreement not to sell a generic version of Ovcon until May 2009. Last year, under threat of a preliminary injunction, Warner Chilcott abandoned the portion of its agreement that kept Barr from marketing a generic version of Ovcon. Shortly afterward, Barr began selling generic Ovcon tablets in the United States. As a result of the FTC’s actions, women taking Ovcon now have the choice to purchase a lower-cost generic version of the product.
The Commission vote approving the proposed settlement and authorizing the staff to file it with the court was 5-0. It was filed on November 9, 2007, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and was signed by the judge and entered by the court on November 27.
The FTC’s Bureau of Competition works with the Bureau of Economics to investigate alleged anticompetitive business practices and, when appropriate, recommends that the Commission take law enforcement action. To inform the Bureau about particular business practices, call 202-326-3300, send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org, or write to the Office of Policy and Coordination, Room 394, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. To learn more about the Bureau of Competition, read “Competition Counts” at http://www.ftc.gov/competitioncounts.
Office of Public Affairs
Bureau of Competition


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(Bloomberg) -- Kaspersky Lab told European antitrust regulators that Microsoft Corp. prevents makers of security software from competing on equal footing with products built into the U.S. company’s Windows operating system.
Kaspersky sent a formal complaint to European Union and German antitrust regulators, saying “hurdles” created by Microsoft limit consumer choice and drive up the cost of security software.
"With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft started to create obstacles to competing manufacturers of security solutions, and introduce different ways of pushing users to forgo third-party software in favor of its own Windows Defender," Moscow-based Kaspersky said in a statement.
Microsoft spent more than a decade under EU investigation, paying fines totaling of 2.24 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in four installments ending in 2013. Regulators found it violated EU competition rules by bundling an extra product -- a media player -- with the Windows software that dominated computer desktops.
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said that it will answer any questions regulators might have about the Kaspersky complaint.
The company’s "primary objective is to keep customers protected," Microsoft said in a statement. It remains "confident that the security features of Windows 10 comply with competition laws."
“We reached out directly to Kaspersky a number of months ago offering to meet directly at an executive level to better understand their concerns, but that meeting has not yet taken place,” Microsoft said.
Kaspersky asked the European authorities to probe whether Microsoft hinders the ability to download third-party software, reducing users’ level of protection, and giving vendors too little time to adapt products to Windows updates.


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A internet site that offers info associated to new technologies and new gadgets. Thanks to the advent of on the internet newspapers and news aggregators, maintaining up with almost everything isn’t as challenging as it used to be. You can be in metros, office or anywhere else in the globe, but if you have a laptop, mobile phone or a tablet with an world wide web connection, you can verify current headlines trending in the world through news aggregator sites like Reddit and Popurls.
In the early days of online newspapers, users would traditionally uncover news about new gadget releases, tech testimonials, and related subjects on big name sources, including the New York Occasions, Wall Street Journal, and Today, news permeates on-line social media culture, and headlines are posted on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ each minute.
Links submitted to sites and services like Reddit and StumbleUpon make it simpler than ever to discover news stories and weblog posts on any imaginable subject. Is one more excellent internet site exactly where we can get a lot of information in 4 regional languages of India. I4U – Amongst the independent tech news websites, I4U has stayed really but still manages to get tremendous referral hyperlinks from both large and small tech sites.
The site provides daily news coverage, in-depth solution reviews, acquiring guides and download updates. Silicon Alley Insider – This is yet another Silicon Valley news website covering the most pressing tech news of the day. It has distinguished itself from the rest of the crowd with its comprehensive and effectively-written articles on Internet applications, Internet technologies trends, social networking web sites, social media applications. It also feature news content related to cloud technology , operating systems like android, apple ios, and gadgets.
Getting an addict, I decided to take a look around and compile a list of some other sites like Reddit to check out when you get bored. There is a very good reason into be skeptical anytime a news site like Reddit and Quora pops up into the existence, claiming to be the subsequent large point. Gizmodo – It really is also provided comparable above tech blog, Its mostly offering beneficial information about cutting-edge customer electronics and gadgets. Engadget – Its witty and short tech articles, breaking tech news and exclusives are updated about the clock. Information Week – Info Week is geared for details technologies specialists and managers.


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Win-win for KKR and Nokia?
Exchange4media explores the mileage brand Nokia gets out of associating with the winning IPL team – Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched the championship at the finale of IPL 2012 played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The defining moment was the Knight Riders team holding up the gold cup, but one could not miss the branding – the Nokia logo prominent on their T-shirts.
How will the KKR win help a brand like Nokia? Associating with a winning team definitely has a positive rub-off. Exchange4media explores...
Getting mileage out of a winning association
Santosh Desai, Managing Director and CEO, Future Brands said, “There’s visibility, momentum and excitement. After the event, there is automatic advantage for the brand, but the potential advantage needs to be harnessed and converted into a definite one.”
Gopinath Menon, Founder and CEO, Melon Media observed that net worth of KKR has gone up and anyone associated with it gets mileage too. But he was quick to point out that “in terms of exposure, it doesn’t mean much”. For all brands supporting KKR it works but that does not mean that other brands supporting other teams lose.
Nokia did get good mileage. “It was a good bet they played. KKR had done badly before but they kept the faith,” Desai noted.
Brands like Nokia have backed KKR through thick and thin and then reached the winning moment. That’s the charm of IPL. Now whether it was worth the price Nokia paid, the company would have done its own calculations, was Desai’s point of view.
Menon outlined the brand experience saying that it was almost 16 to 18 matches, each played during three hours of prime time.
Building future advantage
It was tough for KKR as the fans loyalty had not been built to the extent that it should have. “Now it is up to Nokia to invest and harness this new advantage they have. Nokia should take the responsibility to keep the KKR loyalty going for the rest of the year. Every successive year, the advantage should be built on,” Desai said.
“‘Till you get to the finals’, this is the mileage brands get,” Menon observed. He went on to say that now the finals are over, there is a doubt whether Nokia will get anything more. What is paramount here is that after the finals, people will remember the team and not the brand,” Desai cautioned.
“However, it does help in imagery and salience,” concluded Menon.For more updates, be socially connected with us on
WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube


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Michael Robertson Is Calling, But Will Anybody Answer?
If nothing else, Michael Robertson gets credit for stickin’ it to the establishment. Maybe it’s because he was born in 1967, amid America’s flaring protests. Maybe it’s just a result of his penchant for libertarian views.
When I saw an announcement earlier this week from Robertson about GizmoCall, his new browser-based calling service, my first thought was, “This looks like another one of Michael Robertson’s guerilla campaigns.”
When I bounced that off Robertson in a call Wednesday while he was finishing lunch, he replied, “Right. That’s where the money is. Whether it’s telephone companies, or music companies, [or Microsoft—let’s not forget Microsoft], it’s where disruptive technologies can add value.”
That’s the way many entrepreneurs think. But where other entrepreneurs approach technology disruption as a delicate matter, akin to tickling a dragon’s tail, Robertson seems to relish a more direct provocation.
As the founder of MP3.com, Robertson was at the center of a legal firestorm that pitted his dot-com startup against major record labels and the Recording Industry Association of America. Of course, he had become an overnight sensation as San Diego’s most-prominent dot-com millionaire in 1999, when MP3.com raised more than $370 million in its IPO.
As MP3.com’s largest shareholder, Robertson pocketed an estimated $103 million when he sold his company to French media conglomerate Vivendi in 2001 for $372 million. Since then, he has self-funded most of his new ventures.
Later in 2001, Robertson started a new business around technology for a Linux-based operating system intended to compete against Microsoft Windows. He provocatively called his startup Lindows, unleashing a predictable flurry of trademark lawsuits from Microsoft. The software giant, which apparently feared losing its Windows trademark, later paid $20 million … Next Page »


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1 Bitcoin to Chinese Yuan (BTC/CNY). Price. CN¥67,963. 0.93%.
Ransomware gang takes extortion to a whole new level. Threatens to auction Madonna’s legal documents in a future auction.
Buy Bitcoin using any Gift Card in 5 minutes at CoinCola You have a stack of Gift Cards that you are not using, why not convert them to Bitcoin to make more profit? CoinCola is the best place to buy Bitcoin with Gift Card.
BEAM price today is $0.470174 with a 24-hour trading volume of $42,940,579. BEAM price is down -2.0% in the last 24 hours. It has a circulating supply of 64 Million coins and a max supply of 263 Million coins. Binance is the current most active market trading it.
Bitcoin Goes To The Moon While Main Street is shut down, the financial world keeps moving as quickly as ever. That’s not a sustainable situation, says. 16/01/2020 · But if Bitcoin does end up surging, after all, Greenspan wager, “we’re likely to moon for the next
Bitcoin Becomes The Most Profitable Contract On Although the stock market has made waves recently, don’t forget to take a look at cryptocurrencies, which may enjoy a great. There are many bitcoin trading instruments available in the market; you still require an idea of the necessary skills
The REvil ransomware group has been on a particularly damning string of cyber terrorism acts, and it doesn’t appear to be.
Exchange Chinese Yuan / CNY to Bitcoin and vice versa.
Bank of China came in the beginning of December 2013, right in the middle of the bitcoin price boom.
Normal hours for the spot FX market begin late Sunday and end on Friday evening. LMAX’s new service will cover that gap using.
2 Jun 2020.
and Chinese Renminbi (CNY) Bitcoin markets, we use prices and volumes of the btcnCNY market which is by far the biggest CNY exchange.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./TORONTO, June 10, 2020 /CNW/ - Hut 8 Mining.


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The value of bitcoin fell under $18,000 Saturday earlier than rebounding Sunday night above $20,000, a stage broadly monitored by cryptocurrency lovers.
Bitcoin rose 10% to $20,571.29 Sunday night after falling to as little as $17,601.58 Saturday afternoon, in accordance with CoinDesk. The digital foreign money lurched under $20,000 Saturday, sparking fears it may plunge additional. It has misplaced 70% of its worth from its excessive in November.
Considerations concerning the Federal Reserve’s actions to tame higher-than-expected inflation have pushed shares and cryptocurrencies right into a bear market. Massive names within the trade, together with Coinbase World inc,
the most important cryptocurrency alternate within the US, have just lately introduced job cuts.
“Bitcoin breaking the $20,000 value stage was lengthy coming, given the pessimism that we now have available in the market,” stated AvaTrade market analyst Naeem Aslam. The fallout from the collapse of the stablecoin Terra USD in Might will proceed to ripple out, he stated, and that’s miserable sentiment.
There isn’t any particular significance to the $20,000 stage, however the value slid under $19,783, a earlier excessive water mark hit in 2017, in accordance with Coinbase. Bitcoin bulls have lengthy held that the cryptocurrency had in recent times entered a brand new stage of growth and acceptance, and that it would not fall under that 2017 stage.
“It will likely be numerous ache for lots of buyers,” stated Yuya Hasegawa, a market analyst at Japanese crypto alternate Bitbank Inc. Folks will lose confidence within the crypto market as an entire, however seasoned crypto buyers and people who consider in his long-term prospects will see a possibility to purchase at discounted costs, he stated.
To Wayne Sharp, a retired funding adviser in Columbus, Ohio, the cratering crypto market got here as no shock. She purchased about $10,000 value of bitcoin in 2020 and has been sitting on it since then, with no plans to promote or purchase extra. “I’ve seen numerous cycles. I have been watching this for 45 years,” she stated. “People simply make the identical errors time and again.”
Ether, one other main cryptocurrency, surged 19% to $1,141.52 after falling under $1,000 Saturday. It traded as little as $880.93, in accordance with CoinDesk, its lowest stage since January 2021.
Bitcoin’s slide from its report excessive of $67,802 in November has contributed to a roughly $2 trillion wipeout within the broader market. Crypto’s whole market capitalization, which peaked in November at practically $3 trillion, stood at roughly $834 billion Saturday—its lowest since January 2021, in accordance with information supplier CoinMarketCap.
Bitcoin traded across the $30,000 mark for many of Might earlier than dropping sharply once more in June after a contemporary inflation shock and worries about rising US rates of interest. Traders have seen unloading property as dangerous, similar to cryptocurrencies and expertise shares.
Particular person buyers have obtained margin calls, with about $349.25 million of collateral pledged by about 88,415 retail merchants liquidated over the previous 24 hours, in accordance with information supplier CoinGlass. That compares with $1 billion earlier this week.
Extra beforehand highflying crypto companies have been feeling the ache in what has been dubbed a “crypto winter.” Cryptocurrency lender Babel Finance advised clients Friday that it was suspending redemptions and withdrawals from all merchandise, citing “uncommon liquidity pressures.” One of many largest crypto lenders, Celsius Community LLC, hasn’t let customers withdraw funds for roughly every week, citing excessive market circumstances.
Cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Three Arrows Capital Ltd. has employed authorized and monetary advisers to assist work out an answer for its buyers and lenders after struggling heavy losses from a broad market selloff in digital property, the agency’s founders advised The Wall Avenue Journal.
The sudden squeeze in accessible, beneficiant capital, typically referred to as liquidity, is exacerbating the selloff, and it is not one thing that may simply be fastened, stated Ryan Shea, an economist at crypto funding agency Trakx. Not like within the conventional markets, “there isn’t a central financial institution to step in and intervene, the method simply has to play out,” he stated.
The surge in cryptocurrency valuations over the previous two years was aided by big-name investments from firms similar to Tesla inc
and a interval of decrease rates of interest in the course of the pandemic that inspired people caught at house to purchase riskier property within the hopes of higher returns.
Rate of interest will increase now being enacted by the Fed come as blowups in some crypto initiatives have rippled throughout the ecosystem. So-called stablecoin TerraUSD broke from its $1 peg final month after intense promoting stress, leaving it and its authentic sister cryptocurrency, Luna, now practically nugatory. As its builders sought to defend TerraUSD’s peg, they bought bitcoin reserves, weighing on the value of it and different property.
Crypto buyers extra just lately have change into involved a few spinoff of the cryptocurrency ether that’s locked up till the Ethereum community transitions to a much less energy-intensive mannequin. So-called Lido-staked ether has been buying and selling at a reduction to ether itself just lately.
“Crypto has sufficient issues. It would not want the macro,” stated Noelle Acheson, head of market insights at crypto lender Genesis World Buying and selling, in reference to rising rates of interest and inflation issues.
Write to Elaine Yu at firstname.lastname@example.org and Caitlin Ostroff at email@example.com
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Firm, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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The Trade Expo Indonesia 2017 that was held on October 11-15 saw USD1.268 billion in transactions or equal to Rp16.86 trillion. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said that the figure represents a 24.3 percent increase compared to the last year’s edition.
“Our target was USD1.1 billion,” Lukita said yesterday in his closing address at TEI 2017 at Indonesia Convention Exhibition, Tangerang.
The most popular products during the TEI were coal, coffee, beverages, automotive, processed food, electronics and cosmetics. “We received guests from Morocco and South Africa; they were looking for our herbal cosmetics,” Minister Lukita said.
The Minister said that a total of 22,088 people from 113 countries visited the event. Aside from Indonesia, most of the buyers were from Japan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, India and Malaysia.
Moreover, the Minister explained that as many as 35 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed with 17 countries during the TEI 2017 valued at USD228.2 million or USD20 million more than last year. The government will continue to monitor and facilitate the follow up to the agreement signed at the forum.
An MoU on coal sales was also signed with Laos with a total transaction of USD588 million or equal to Rp7.82 trillion.


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One of the biggest sets of the Pokemon TCG recently released called Celebrations. This set celebrates the 25 year anniversary of the Pokemon franchise through recreations of fan favorite Pokemon cards. With this featuring many amazing cards that fans want, the demand for these cards has sky-rocketed and the Pokemon Center hasn’t been able to keep up. A Tweet from @LA_Batman_ shows that their order from the Pokemon Center website for Celebrations packs has been canceled due to overwhelming demand.
Many others replied saying they have received the same email stating their orders have been canceled. Customers that were expecting to get these products shipped to them are naturally disappointed to see they won’t be receiving them. Especially after waiting so long for these boxes and packs to be shipped. If they want to get packs specifically from the Pokémon Center, they’ll have to wait for a restock and order them again. This unexpected incident is leading people to buying products overpriced from resellers, which is not worth it in the long run. Sure, you’ll get packs sooner but they’ll be overpriced and you will be funding scalpers so they’ll buy more products and lead to more products selling out in the future. The Pokémon Support team released a statement saying they’re working on making more of these sold out products available again. This hints to a huge reprint in Celebrations packs. Not only will more Celebrations boxes be released soon but if they’re being reprinted, we’ll all have plenty of chances to buy more very soon. Hang in there and keep your eyes peeled!


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In 2013, the typical cost of tap water in San Francisco, California was less than half a penny per gallon. The water originates from a reservoir of snowmelt in Yosemite National Park, which is considered one of the freshest water sources worldwide.
Although tap water is generally safe to consume, many people prefer bottled versions. Americans spend more than a billion dollars on bottled water annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In 2010, San Francisco created outdoor tap water stations in an attempt to dissuade individuals from buying bottled water. Approximately eight out of 10 plastic bottle containers end up in a landfill.


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Back in June, Warner Bros. and Spotify unveiled a deal to create DC scripted podcasts. Now, the first-ever scripted Spotify podcast has been revealed. Spotify has announced that Batman Unburied will be released in 2021. The new podcast will “explore the darker aspects of Bruce Wayne’s psychology.”
The Dark Knight trilogy co-writer, David S. Goyer, wrote the story for Batman Unburied and will executive produce the podcast.
“I’ve been a fan of narrative podcasts for some time and was looking for the right story — returning to Batman seems like the perfect opportunity,” said Goyer in a statement. “We’ll also be using the unique advantages of audio to dig into the more nightmarish members of the Dark Knight’s Rogues Gallery.”
RELATED: New Original DC Podcasts Are Coming To Spotify
Additionally, Goyer’s production company, Phantom Four, is teaming up with Warner Bros.’ Blue Ribbon Content to produce the podcast. However, Spotify hasn’t announced any additional writers yet.
Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff also shared a statement about Goyer’s involvement with the new Batman podcast.
“David Goyer is an exceptional talent, and we can think of no better leader to leverage the infinite possibilities of podcasting to bring the nearly 300 million Spotify users around the world a Batman saga for the ages.”
More DC scripted podcasts are also likely to follow Batman Unburied in 2021.
Are you excited to hear the new scripted Batman podcast? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1
We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


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MediaCityUK has today announced The Hut Group (THG), one of the world’s largest online beauty and well-being companies, is set to take additional office space on the 10th floor (16,040 sq. ft.) of Orange, which will bring the high-profile office development to full occupancy.
Equinox TV produces “industry first” TVC for VetPlus
Launched as part of an exclusive partnership with ITV, this “industry first” TV Commercial for VetPlus focuses on presenting their flagship product, Synoquin, driving footfall into independent veterinary practices across the UK.
Filmed on location in Knutsford, Cheshire, the concept, which was created by Equinox TV, presents the use of Synoquin through the eyes of the dog and its owner. Viewers follow the story of Charlie the dog, and watch the alleviation of his arthritis and joint pain symptoms, following the use of Synoquin (a 100% natural supplement).
The £1 million TV campaign, which has been planned and bought by MediaCom, Manchester, will be shown exclusively throughout October and November on ITV, and is estimated to be seen by 20.7 million people over the eight-week period.
Phillipa Chadwick, head of marketing at VetPlus, said: “We believe not only is this the first time a nutraceutical company has invested in TV to this level, but it is certainly the first time a manufacturer has directly promoted the concept of visiting your local vet to a national TV audience”.
Holly Arthurby, senior producer at Equinox TV added: “We’re proud to be working with VetPlus to launch their first ever TV campaign. We’ve worked hard to produce a creative concept that resonates with pet owners whilst also demonstrating the benefits of the Synoquin supplement. The final TVC really achieves this brief”.
Equinox worked with Animal Direction, the pet modelling agency based in The Greenhouse at MediaCityUK, to source the dog for this campaign.
The Lowry in Salford has today confirmed plans to go-ahead with not one, but two Christmas shows this November and…
Costa Lambrias, hypnotherapist and self-development coach with a credible track record and media profile, has relocated his business to the Greenhouse, MediaCityUK.
After a long-awaited return, the much-loved Makers Market will be returning to MediaCityUK for the first time since before lockdown….


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Did you know that Steam Greenlight just approved 100 more projects? No, not last month, but just this week. That brings the total up to 309 games in the last two months, which is a lot to look forward to. This Top 10 list therefore tried to trim the fat and list just the top tier, which includes a game from developer Playniac.
In a comical, yet telling turn of events, this news was even a surprise to the company. When prompted with congratulations for making the list, Playniac was not even aware of being approved on Steam Greenlight in the first place. Ain’t that something?
After thinking it was just a commendation for being on Greenlight in general, the developer said on Twitter: “Wait, what, we got #Greenlit???!!!!” Punctuation aside, the stupefaction was genuine and subsequently, the page for their game received an update with this success.
Now, we know for a fact that developers receive a mail from Valve upon approval, so it’s not like there’s no communication. That said, could it be that the frequency of approvals is going overboard lately? This seems like a rather big blip on the radar to miss, certainly as it’s vital for some games.
Do you think Steam Greenlight is approving too many games at once or do you feel it’s done properly like this?
Let us know in the comments.


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Higher bar for benefits
Fluctuating hours also make it difficult to qualify — and pay — for health care coverage, workers complain.
Full-time employees are eligible for benefits six months after being hired, while part-time employees must wait a year and average 30 hours weekly, Walmart says. That's up from an average 24 hours a week for part-time employees hired before Feb. 1, 2012. There's no minimum for part-timers hired before Jan. 15, 2011.
Walmart says it changed its health care plan to more closely conform to the new federal health care law.
Greg Fletcher, an electronics sales associate at the Duarte, Calif., store, works 24 to 32 hours a week and says he's getting the "high end" of available hours. His wife also works at Walmart but lacks enough hours to earn benefits. Together they made $25,000 last year. Fletcher says Walmart's benefits would cost up to a third of his paycheck to cover his family.
"For a lot of people, it's just an unaffordable option," the 29-year-old says.
Instead, the Fletchers are on Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, to help cover themselves and their two sons, ages 6 and 9 months.
However, Walmart subsidizes a greater percentage of the cost of health care coverage than most retailers, says Will Sneden, senior vice president in Aon Hewitt's health and benefits practice. Sneden, who counts Walmart as a client, says the discounter's health benefits consistently rank in the top 25% of retailers "due to favorable eligibility and a wider choice of plan options with relatively low employee premiums."


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NowSignage and B-Tech AV Mounts join forces to unveil a revolutionary collaboration that is set to redefine the landscape of digital signage. This partnership seamlessly integrates NowSignage’s cutting-edge digital signage platform with B-Tech AV Mounts’ expertise in mounting solutions, offering a dynamic display experience at ISE 2024.
The NowSignage and B-Tech AV Mounts collaboration introduces a new era in digital signage integration and is boasted on a vintage Rolls Royce converted digital display car.
The showcased solution boasts B-Tech AV Mounts’ precision mounting technology seamlessly integrated with NowSignage‘s powerful digital signage platform. The collaboration not only ensures stability and adaptability but also opens up a world of possibilities for creative and eye-catching digital displays.
The live demonstrations at ISE 2024 will showcase how the B-Tech AV Mounts seamlessly complement NowSignage’s digital signage platform, offering a reliable and visually stunning solution. Attendees can witness firsthand how these advancements in mounting technology can transform any space into an immersive visual experience, providing new dimensions for advertisers, retailers, and event organisers alike.
NowSignage and B-Tech AV Mounts invite ISE 2024 attendees to explore the future of digital signage with a focus on stability, adaptability, and visual excellence. Experience the collaborative and innovative technology and precision mounting solutions as they unveil this remarkable integration.


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New Guidelines For Logical Solutions For
The brand seems to understand that consumers like learning about new fashion brands and styles via social media, and also that a personal touch is key to consumer/brand engagement. However, requiring employees to advertise on their own accounts seems a little — dare we say it? — cheap. Luxury Daily predicts the high-end fashion market will be the last sector to replace humans with automation and AI, no matter how comfortable consumers become with getting automated customer service (as long as it’s quality), and no matter how much their less-luxurious counterparts may come to rely on such tech-based personalized services. The thing is, AI technology allows retail to be more personal — and that’s exactly what luxury retailers are trying to maintain by avoiding technology. AI lets brands offer promotions based on customer context, and, of course, smart fitting rooms make it easier for shoppers to find the right outfit, channeling them into the checkout line rather than sending them away disappointed. Some luxury retailers are starting to offer such experiences. Even Saks and Neiman Marcus have made their concessions. Neiman Marcus has embraced smart mirrors at its beauty counters, and Saks has welcomed augmented reality (AR) in a concept hair salon called The Salon Project to be housed in 10 U.S. Saks locations over the next two years.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2018/high-end-fashion-saks-fifth-avenue-ai/
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Professional Ideas On Practical Solutions Of [fashion]
However, Mrs May said the relationship allowed for "frank discussions on all issues". In recent years, both sides have hailed a "golden era" in UK-Sino relations. China has signalled its desire to invest in high-profile UK infrastructure projects, including the building of a new nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point - although its involvement has raised some national security concerns. British trade with China has increased by 60% since 2010 and UK ministers are expected to use the trip to stress that the UK will remain an "excellent place to do business" after it leaves the EU next year During the three-day trip, it is expected Mrs May will focus on extending existing commercial partnerships rather than scoping out new post-Brexit deals. "My visit will intensify the golden era in UK-China relations," she said ahead of the trip. "We are working together to tackle global and regional security challenges such as North Korea, climate change and environmental pollution and to develop our strong bilateral trade, investment and cultural links. "There are huge trade opportunities in China that we want to help British businesses take advantage of." Image caption Critics accuse China of abandoning its "one country, two systems" pledge on Hong Kong The UK has said it will prioritise negotiating free trade agreements with major trading partners such as the United States, Australia and Canada after it leaves the EU in March 2019. Earlier this year, the UK said it would not rule out becoming a member of the Trans Pacific Partnership free-trade zone, whose members include Japan, South Korea and Vietnam and which is considered by many as a counter-weight to Chinese influence in the region. Mrs May, who visited China last year for a G20 summit, will be accompanied by her husband Philip and the leaders of 50 British businesses and commercial organisations.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42865133


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New rumours are suggesting that Apple are planning to release the next generation iPhone on October 14th. With the conference on October 4th, could this be ideal for Apple?
The rumour comes from Boy Genius Report, who claims that the next generation iPhone will be released on October 14th, ten days after it’s announcement.
Boy Genius Report says:
Apple will launch its next-generation iPhone 5 in five initial markets on October 14th according to a new report from Macotakara. The site, which has a mixed track record, reports that Apple will release the new device in the United States, the U.K., Germany, Japan and France on that date, with launches in additional markets to follow. The date aligns closely with earlier comments from France Telecom CEO Stéphane Richard, who said the iPhone 5 would launch from Orange on October 15th, a Saturday.
Usually, Apple would announce the new iPhone and then release a couple of weeks later, which is what is looks like to be going on here. Will Apple be following their traditional path in releasing a new iPhone?
The conference will be held by Tim Cook, Apple’s new CEO on October 4th 2011.Further reading: Apple, iPhone


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The highly anticipated Rocksteady Studios and WB Games release, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, has reportedly had its release unexpectedly delayed.
WB Games and Avalanche Software have revealed the exciting voice cast for Hogwarts Legacy!
Warner Bros Games officially unveiled a new cinematic trailer that shows the scope and scale of Hogwarts Legacy while teasing the immersive potential of making the wizarding world so magical.
Among several future projects for Netherrealm Studios, Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon expressed his desire to remaster the original trilogy. Mortal Kombat is a series of fighting games originally developed by Midway Games (now Netherrealm Studios) back in 1992. One of the series’ most iconic features is Fatality, a finishing move where the winning character […]
MultiVersus Adds Dwayne Johnson Black Adam Variant and New Game of Thrones Map for FestiVersus 2022 Event
Warner Bros. Games today announced that a new MultiVersus Black Adam character variant featuring the likeness of Dwayne Johnson from the Warner Bros. Pictures and DC film is available now for in-game purchase as part of Season 2.
Warner Bros. Games kicked off the launch of Season 2 of MultiVersus this week, which features the later addition of the amazing Marvin the Martian as an upcoming playable character. Along with the iconic Martian, Season 2 will also feature a new map that will have fans of Game of Thrones very excited.
The release of the upcoming Gotham Knights video game is just over a couple of months out, so the anticipation is ramping up. That means more footage and details will be coming out for the game. IGN First recently offered a first look at the initial 16 minutes of gameplay, offering an expanded look at the Bat-Family-themed title.
Warner Bros. Games brings the WB’s biggest characters throughout the company together in an epic crossover free-to-play fighting game, MultiVersus.
Back 4 Blood the mind-blowing first-person co-op “zombie” shooter game has just released the Tunnels of Terror DLC!
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is exactly what you want, expect, and need from a LEGO game, and still exceeds all expectations.


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Newswatch 2.27.07: Big guns step in for Wikileaks
ACLU, EFF step in on Wikileaks case
[News.com] Wikileaks is receiving some independent legal support from free speech groups, including Public Citizen, the California First Amendment Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Project on Government Oversight, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They--and some media organizations also expected to file a brief--are asking to intervene on Wikileaks' behalf.
iPhone SDK coming next week?
[TechCrunch] It’s not clear whether the SDK will actually be released on that date, or whether it will just be detailed. In either case, Apple has failed to fulfill its promise to release the SDK this February as anticipated. The event will be invite-only and will take place at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, March 6 at 10am.
Windows Server launches
[News.com] "I'm not here to write new code, to design new apps," Tom Brokaw told the crowd at the tony Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Instead, Brokaw spoke for several minutes on the radical transformation of society being brought about by technology.
EU fines MSFT $1.35b
[AP] The European Union's longest-running fight with Microsoft Corp. neared an end Wednesday as regulators imposed a record $1.3 billion fine on the world's largest software company for failing to fully comply with a 2004 antitrust order.
About.com CEO to leave
[PaidContent] Scott Meyer, the CEO of About.com, part of New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), is leaving by next week, our sources say, and has been confirmed by the company. His last day will be Thursday next week. No replacement is being named now.
YHOO fails to impress at IAB
[Battelle] It's clear they are beginning to roll out a strategy, but, well, it's not clear to me what the big vision is. I see parts of it - boil the all-in-one advertising platform ocean, make Yahoo more open, create exchanges between publishers and advertisers - but I can't see the whole dern thing. And from the buzz at the IAB conference after Jerry and Sue's presentation yesterday, I ain't the only one.
Here come the YHOO shareholder suits
[WaPo] Five of the suits allege Yahoo's board breached its duty by spurning Microsoft without trying to negotiate a better deal, according to the annual report. The two other suits allege Yahoo unfairly favored Microsoft's "inadequate" bid even though the board eventually turned down the original cash-and-stock offer of $31 per share.


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UPDATE: Storm8 has responded to the lawsuit's accusations and issued a statement on Storm8.com.
Original Story: A class-action lawsuit filed in San Francisco wants to take iPhone game developer Storm8 to task for what it calls "malicious software code." The suit accuses Storm8 of exploiting a backdoor method to retrieve users' phone numbers without their permission in games such as "iMobsters" and "Vampires Live." We reached out to Apple for a comment, and though the representative we spoke wasn't familiar with the case, he did articulate Apple's position on the practice Storm8 has been accused of.
"There is no violating privacy," Apple's VP of iPod and iPhone product marketing Greg Joswiak told MTV News. "That's one of the things we look for, so if that did happen I'm either unaware or unfamiliar."
The lawsuit, which can be read in full over on Boing Boing, does not point any fingers at Apple. It even corroborate's Apple's policy. "Apple does not provide to sellers the personal information of iPhone or iPod Touch users to App Store developers, such as Storm8," the suit reads.
Joswiak explained that any developers found engaging in such practices could face having their apps pulled from the App Store.
"That's one of the things that we're always looking for," Joswiak said. "That's part of the beauty of the way we have the App Store set up, because if you find something like that out we can deal with it. A) We can pull it down. B) We know who the developer is. Remember there's nothing anonymous."
Storm8 currently has dozens of apps downloadable through the App Store, which have not been taken down, and contends that number farming was a "bug" in their games' software. The lawsuit contends that coding capable of pulling numbers would have to be too complex to be an accident. Bug or not, if any of games are found doing such things again, there could have more than consumers to worry about, since Joswiak explicitly called such information farming without consent "verboten."
Have you downloaded or used any Storm8 games from the App Store? Do you think the number pulling could have been caused by a bug? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.


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Vatican City — After more than six weeks of not being able to accept credit- and debit-card payments in the Vatican Museums and shops, the Vatican announced Wednesday that it had begun accepting plastic again.
Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, also told reporters Wednesday that it was likely that the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican bank, would have a new president "in a few days."
The Vatican has been seeking a new president since May when the institute's board of supervisors unanimously passed a vote of "no confidence" in the leadership of Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, citing "progressively erratic personal behavior" and the release of confidential documents last known to have been in his possession.
The credit card halt was a separate incident.
The Vatican said Wednesday it had signed an agreement with the Switzerland-based Aduno Group, a company that issues credit cards and handles online payments, as well as offering point-of-sale services to businesses wanting to accept credit- and debit-cards.
The Vatican was forced to stop accepting cards Jan. 1 after Italy's central bank denied permission to Deutsche Bank Italia to continue offering the service. The central bank claimed the Vatican's banking and financial laws were not stringent enough to prevent money laundering.
Rene Brulhart, the Swiss finance lawyer hired to monitor the legality and transparency of Vatican financial activity, had said the Italian central bank's action was surprising, particularly because no other European country or agency shared Italy's concerns about the Vatican's supposed vulnerability to money laundering.
Several Italian newspapers estimated that the Vatican lost tens of thousands of dollars in income in the six weeks it was unable to accept credit and debit cards to pay for tickets to the Vatican Museums, to buy items at Vatican souvenir stands and to shop in the Vatican bookstore, pharmacy, supermarket and duty-free store.


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Robinhood’s crypto division was fined $30M by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).
Adrienne Harris, the superintendent stated that as its business grew, Robinhood Crypto failed to commit the resources and attention to build and sustain a culture of compliance.
The cryptocurrency division of Robinhood has been fined $30 million for allegedly breaking consumer protection, cybersecurity, and anti-money laundering regulations.
Robinhood Crypto will have to pay a $30 million fine to the state, according to a statement made on Tuesday by NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris, for failures in the areas of bank secrecy act/anti-money laundering obligations as well as numerous cybersecurity failures that allegedly broke New York law. Harris claims that Robinhood’s cryptocurrency division will also be obliged to employ a third-party consultant to assess the company’s compliance and corrective action initiatives.
#ICYMI: DFS Superintendent Harris Announces $30 Million Penalty on Robinhood Crypto for Significant Anti- Money Laundering, Cybersecurity & Consumer Protection Violations. Read more: https://t.co/TUD2SwmOcw
— NYDFS (@NYDFS) August 2, 2022
According to the Superintendent, Robinhood Crypto failed to devote the necessary time and resources in order to create and sustain a culture of compliance as its business grew. Harris also stated:
“The same anti-money laundering, consumer protection, and cybersecurity requirements that apply to traditional financial services organizations apply to all virtual currency companies regulated in New York State.”
In accordance with the terms of the consent agreement, the NYDFS claimed that between January and September 2019 it had discovered shortcomings in RHC’s compliance function across many areas. After determining that some BSA and AML standards had been broken by Robinhood’s crypto division, the NYDFS launched an enforcement inquiry.
Allegations that Robinhood Crypto violated these rules included not switching to a sufficiently large transaction monitoring system or “devoting sufficient resources to appropriately address concerns.” In addition, according to the NYDFS, Robinhood violated a supervisory agreement by failing “to maintain on its website a telephone line for the receipt of client complaints.”
Cheryl Crumpton, associate general counsel for litigation and regulatory enforcement at Robinhood, claimed that the company had a settlement in principle with the New York Department of Financial Services in 2021 and had disclosed the subject in its public disclosures. Robinhood made a lot of progress creating industry-leading legal, compliance, and cybersecurity programs, according to Crumpton.
The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined Robinhood over $70 million in June 2021 for allegedly harming thousands of users “widespread and significantly” and displaying “systematic supervisory deficiencies” beginning in September 2016.
Read more latest cryptocurrency news.
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Anti-smog masks on shelves at a drug store in Beijing, January 2, 2018
The sales of face masks and air purifiers have been plunging in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region amid the improved air quality so far this winter, reports chinanews.com.
A local drug store in Beijing is reporting that masks which would have been sold out last year are still on the shelves.
A lasting stint of smog in the Chinese capital region through much of December, 2016 stimulated the sales surge of anti-smog products. From December 16 to 20, 2016, 15 million masks were sold on JD.com, up 380% year-on-year. The sale of air purifiers doubled during that same period.
Though this year's sales have not been published yet, the chinanews.com report contends the promotion of anti-smog products is now much less prevailant on e-commerce platforms.
Cheng Xiqing, marketing manager of haocaimao.com, a domestic e-commerce platform, says sales of their masks have decreased by 50% this year.
The PM2.5 index in the capital region through November was down by 37% year-on-year.


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Tomorrow, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will hear public comments on the portion-size soda prohibition proposed by Mayor Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s hand-picked bureaucrats will then rule on whether the ban should go forward. Considering that they’ve already discussed moving past soda into popcorn and milk-based drinks, it could be an uphill battle.
In the hopes of appealing to some latent common sense in the board’s members, opponents are taking to the newspapers in the hopes of rallying resistance. In The Wall Street Journal, Seth Goldman, the co-founder of Honest Tea — the organic sweet tea line reportedly favored by President Obama — questions why his company’s 500-mL (16.9-oz.) bottles are in Bloomberg’s line of fire:
I challenge the mayor and the New York City Board of Health to seriously consider the impediments that entrepreneurs already face in our efforts to offer lower-calorie drinks. Starting a business and building a challenger brand with modest resources is already a daunting task. The proposed ban would create additional barriers to beverage innovation.
For what it’s worth, Goldman reports that a 16.9-ounce bottle of Honey Green Tea sold by the company packs 70 calories, less than four percent of the typical adult recommendation of 2,000 calories per day. We’re not surprised that such a low calorie contribution still makes the hit list. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks amount to only 7 percent of Americans’ total calorie intake, so ban-happy bureaucrats need to rope in as many drinks as possible.
Additionally, Goldman explains that businesses cannot predict the capricious behavior of the regulatory state and respond as they do to changing consumer preferences:
And what if next year, Cambridge, Mass., comes up with a ban on 15.5-ounce containers? As soon as government starts getting between us and the consumer, we quickly find ourselves considering scenarios that are not based on market realities or consumer needs.
And we’d add that society stands to lose a lot from these costly, restrictive regulations. Researchers from Cornell University predicted that between the rebellion against government intrusion and the inevitable failure of the regulation to reduce obesity the soda ban will “poison the water” for better-thought-out public health initiatives.
We’re not holding our breath for those better-thought-out initiatives. The “public health” regulatory community is already looking to alcoholic beverage regulation as a model for controlling food. (Fancy a run to the “SBC” store?) Until the regulators and would-be diet commissars start thinking outside the takeaway box, we expect anti-obesity policy to continue to fail.


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Microsoft hired a former Apple retail exec to help it find prime locations for its upcoming stores, according to TechFlash.
Microsoft's retail plans are getting a big boost as the company confirmed to TechFlash that it has hired a former Apple retail executive to help with its store openings.
George Blankenship, a Gap executive before joining Apple, was in charge of finding the prime locations that Apple picks for its retail stores. His work with Apple goes back to the start of the decade when Apple kicked off its retail endeavor.
Blankenship is working for Microsoft as a consultant, not as an employee, according to a report on TechFlash.
Whatever his role, Blankenship will be an important addition to Microsoft's retail team, especially considering the strategy it announced last week. Microsoft representatives told CNET that some of the stores will be close to existing Apple retail locations, hinting that it isn't afraid to battle Apple head-on.
Besides the design, one thing that has continually set the Apple retail stores apart from other computer outlets is the location Apple chooses for them. While many computer retailers put their stores in high-traffic malls, Apple tends to choose trendy, upscale locations.


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Hillshire Brands Co.NYSE
Dec. 18, 2014, 10:34 AM
- Antitrust regulators in France have fined 11 companies a combined $1.17B on price-rigging charges.
- Companies hit by the action include L'Oreal (OTCPK:LRLCF), Unilever (NYSE:UL), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL), Hillshire Brands (NYSE:HSH), Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE:JNJ) French business, and Reckitt Benckiser Group (OTCPK:RBGLY).
- Statements from the consumer products sellers expressed some outrage over the sanctions due to the limited impact on consumers.
Aug. 29, 2014, 5:03 AM
- Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) has completed its $7.7B acquisition of Hillshire Brands (NYSE:HSH).
- Hillshire's common stock will be de-listed and cease trading on the NYSE and Chicago Stock Exchange before the market open this morning.
- Tyson says the combined company's new leadership will include a mix of senior leaders from both companies, but Hillshire's CEO Sean Connolly has chosen to pursue other interests.
Aug. 27, 2014, 2:46 PM
- Tyson Foods (TSN +0.9%) and Hillshire Brands (HSH) confirm they have reached a settlement with the DOJ in relation to an inquiry over the planned merger of the two companies.
- A divestiture of Tyson's Heinold Hog Markets sow purchasing business was part of the concessions agreed upon.
- State AGs from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri also signed off on the deal.
Aug. 20, 2014, 6:05 PM
- Hillshire Brands Co. (NYSE:HSH) declares $0.175/share quarterly dividend, in line with previous.
- Forward yield 1.11%
- Payable Sept. 3; for shareholders of record Sept. 3; ex-div Aug. 29.
Aug. 13, 2014, 7:38 AM
- Hillshire Brands (NYSE:HSH): FQ4 EPS of $0.33 beats by $0.07.
- Revenue of $1.06B (+10.2% Y/Y) beats by $65.9M.
Aug. 13, 2014, 3:58 AM
- The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division has requested additional information from Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) and Hillshire Brands (NYSE:HSH) regarding their $7.7B deal announced in June.
- Tyson's tender offer, which was scheduled to expire on July 16, has been extended until Aug. 19. The companies estimate the deal to be completed by Sept. 27.
- Antitrust experts are expecting the deal to win approval, since the companies tend to sell different products.
Aug. 5, 2014, 1:17 PM
- Tyson Foods (TSN -0.1%) will reportedly issue $3.25B worth of debt to help fund the purchase of Hillshire Brands (HSH).
- The company will utilize bond maturities ranging from 5 years to 30 years, according to sources.
- Tyson's increased debt load will be a factor in how ratings agencies grade the meat producer.
Jul. 2, 2014, 8:18 AM
- Tyson Foods (TSN) and Hillshire Brands (HSH) say both boards have approved the merger of the two companies in an all-cash $8.55B transaction.
- The deal is expected to close before September 27 after a two-step tender offer completes.
- Tyson Foods will be the company making the $163M termination payment to Pinnacle Foods (PF), not Hillshire as widely reported.
Jun. 30, 2014, 5:16 PM
- Pinnacle Foods (PF) says it is terminating its merger agreement with Hillshire Brands (HSH) and expects to receive a $163M cash payment from HSH.
- Hillshire withdrew support for the merger two weeks ago, choosing a $7.7B takeover offer from Tyson Foods.
- PF also reaffirms FY 2014 EPS guidance of $1.70-$1.75 vs $1.74 analyst consensus estimate.
Jun. 16, 2014, 7:43 AM
- Hillshire Brands (HSH) withdraws its acquisition offer for Pinnacle Foods (PF).
- The company's board says it determined that a sale to Tyson Foods provided a more favorable course for shareholders than the Pinnacle Foods buyout.
- Pinnacle Foods is entitled to receive a termination fee of $43M, followed by another $120M if certain circumstances occur.
Jun. 12, 2014, 8:39 AM
- Global consumption of meat will increase 1.9% a year over the next decade as demand for protein in nations such as China, Mexico, and Brazil supports the market.
- The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization forecasts that by 2030 the average person will eat close to 99 pounds of meat per year, compared to 86 pounds in 2007.
- The steady rise in protein demand has underpinned a wave of merger activity in the food sector including Tyson Foods' takeover of Hillshire Brands and Shuanghui International's acquisition of Smithfield Foods.
- Related stocks: TSN, HRL, SAFM, SEB, HSH, PPC
Jun. 9, 2014, 7:57 AM
Jun. 9, 2014, 7:39 AM
- Tyson Foods (TSN) confirms a deal to buy Hillshire Brands (HSH) for $63 per share in a deal valued at $8.55B.
- The company will use cash on hand and a bridge loan to fund the acquisition.
- Execs will discuss the merger on a conference call at 8:30 AM EST.
- Shares of Tyson are down 2.8% in premarket action, while Hillshire Brands is up 5.1% to $61.95.
Jun. 9, 2014, 1:31 AM
- Tyson Foods (TSN) appears to have won the battle to buy Hillshire Brands (HSH), after offering $7.7B for the company, or $63 a share. The offer is nearly $1B more than the bid cast by Pilgrim's Pride (PPC) last week.
- The deal is still not finalized, and can take a few days, if not more. Hillshire Brands cannot even make another deal until it terminates a previous merger agreement with Pinnacle Foods (PF), paying $163M towards a break-up fee.
Jun. 4, 2014, 1:56 PM
Jun. 3, 2014, 9:25 AM


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Airbnb have been a popular way to travel and host travelers for over a decade now. However, as with any popular service, there have been some issues that have arisen. In particular, there have been concerns about so-called “trouble guests.” These are guests who may cause damage to property, make too much noise, or otherwise disrupt the peace. To address these concerns, Airbnb has just announced new anti-party tools. These tools will automatically block high-risk guests from making bookings.
Airbnb has long been committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone who uses our platform. Unfortunately, there have been instances where guests have used our platform to throw unauthorized parties, which can be disruptive and dangerous. To help prevent this from happening, Airbnb is introducing new anti-party tools in the US and Canada. These tools will help to identify potentially high-risk reservations and prevent those users from taking advantage of our platform. For example, this system looks at factors like history of positive reviews (or lack of positive reviews), length of time the guest has been on Airbnb, length of the trip, distance to the listing, weekend vs. weekday, among many others. The primary objective is attempting to reduce the ability of bad actors to throw unauthorized parties which negatively impact our Hosts, neighbors, and the communities we serve. We believe that these new tools will help to make Airbnb a safer and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
A similar variation of this system has been piloted in Australia since October 2021, where it’s been very effective. We have seen a 35 percent drop in incidents of unauthorized parties in the areas of Australia where this pilot has been in effect. We are now ending the pilot phase in Australia and codifying this product nationwide. They are hoping for similar success as they begin testing this in the US and Canada.
This anti-party technology is designed to prevent a reservation attempt from going through. Guests who are unable to make entire home bookings due to this system will still be able to book a private room (where the Host is more likely to be physically on site) or a hotel room through Airbnb.
Airbnb takes the safety of its community seriously. They are optimistic that their new party prevention technology will have a positive impact on safety and help reduce unauthorized parties. However, they want to be clear that no system is perfect. Airbnb is an online platform that facilitates real world connections. That’s why they continually seek to partner with experts and communities to complement their safety efforts. They also invest in their Neighborhood Support Line to facilitate direct communication with neighbors regarding potential parties in progress or concerns with any nearby listings. Ultimately, Airbnb is committed to providing a safe environment for its community members.


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WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) – Volkswagen said it will cut jobs as it launches almost 70 new electric models by 2028, accelerating its rollout of zero-emission cars as earnings revealed the operating margin at its core brand had taken a hit.
The profit margin at its core VW brand slipped to 3.8 percent last year, down from 4.2 percent, as higher investments into electric cars and challenges getting combustion-engined vehicles certified ate into profits, VW said.
The push into electromobility should help the VW brand to raise profits as it prepares to put a new electric vehicle into showrooms in 2020.
The VW brand has brought forward its target of achieving a return on sales of 6 percent to 2022, but this will also involve cutting jobs, the company said.
“The reality is that building an electric car involves some 30 percent less effort than one powered by an internal combustion engine,” Chief Executive Herbert Diess explained at the company’s annual results press conference in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
“That means we need to make job cuts,” he added.
Volkswagen is switching its focus to electric cars after an emissions cheating scandal that cost it more than 27 billion euros and tainted its reputation.
Volkswagen released full earnings on Tuesday after pre-releasing some figures last month when it said its 2018 group operating profit came in at 13.92 billion euros ($15.8 billion), 0.7 percent higher than the prior year and below 14.53 billion euros forecast in a poll.
The carmaker’s Audi and Porsche brands made up the lion’s share of VW Group’s operating profit. Before special items, Audi’s operating profit accounted for 4.7 billion euros and Porsche’s 4.1 billion euros. Its VW brand delivered 3.2 billion euros in operating profit before special items, the carmaker said.
But Audi’s profitability slipped thanks to a 1.2 billion euros diesel-related charge and delays getting its vehicles to conform to a stricter emissions testing standard known as WLTP.
“Audi was hit particularly hard. It will probably be the end of the first quarter before all variants are available again,” Diess said.
“WLTP will continue to be a challenge in 2019. There could be some temporary restrictions once again, but much less extensive than in 2019.”
As a result of the electric cars model acceleration, Volkswagen expects to build 22 million cars on its electric vehicles platforms PPE and MEB by 2028, up from the carmaker’s previous estimate of 15 million cars.
Volkswagen stuck to its outlook, reiterating that it expects revenues to grow up to 5 percent, and to deliver an operating return on sales at group level of between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent in 2019.
The operating loss at its Bentley brand fell to 288 million euros, from a profit of 55 million euros a year earlier, hit by delays ramping up production of the new Continental GT and exchange rate effects.
(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Richard Pullin and Keith Weir)